Bow Makers

[Jericho117]

No you type in my real name---Aaron, you will see me

[Jericho117]

Those look awesome.

[FVR]

Graywolf,


Here are a few pony bows.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Top one, 48" osage, pulling 45 at 26. Yup, 26", 7 layers of sinew with recurve tips. sister #1. Sold to a Dr. up in Pa.

Bottom one, 52" elm, pulling 50 at 27. 10 layers of sinew, static recurve.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Elm bow strung. You can also see the bow at Hornbow.com.

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

48" osage pony bow. Sister #2, donated to St. Judes Auction. That's a 48" bow being drawn 26". The rule is to never draw more than half the length of the bow. But, sinew is natures fiberglass.

With such short bows, I not only back the bow but also wrap the limbs with sinew. This strengthens the limbs and prevents breakage.

Well, some break, these did not.

I still have the Elm bow, can't seem to part with it.

[Jericho117]

Thier small but look really great. Iv'e always admired recurves.

[Gray Wolf]

FVR, that 48" Osage, Sister #1 looks awesome! And 45 at 26 is amazing! Nice work.

[Gray Wolf]

Thier small

Sometimes a smaller bow is better. Depending on where you are and what you're doing.

[Jericho117]

Yeah I know, more movability for hunting. Hey I was wondering, since im used to making bows from saplings and hardwood branches, if thick strips of wood from a hardwood tree eithier fire-killed or alive (when seasoned) can be used to make a bow. Iv'e never done this, and I would assume thats how modern bows are constructed, but applying that to a survival situation I think it would provide a plethora of materials, like getting 5 or 6 staves from one fallen dry tree. Does the growth rings from a tree, lets say 4-7 inches thick affect the bow in anyway? Im talking about our hardwoods here though........and im talking about splitting even lengths of wood with a knife or hatchet.

[canid]

if i'm interpreting your question correctly then this is about how traditional english longbows, and many other styles are made. the boles [trunk sections] are split into staves, seasoned off and then the backs chased [sapwood removed to allow one or a few layers only to remain, keeping one layer intact over the whole back.

[Jericho117]

Oh I didn't know that. thanks for the info.

[Rick]

Just to make you feel better I'm not going to respond to this thread.

[Jericho117]

But......you.....sort....of just....did?

[crashdive123]

OK - I won't respond either. There! You're good to go.

[Jericho117]

Two points........

[Jericho117]

Hey im drying my hickory bow with a mix of sun and smoke, do you think the smoke will turn my bow a darkish brown color over time? I never used smoke that long for my bows.

[canid]

i highly recommend you slowly dry it out of the sun to reduce hairline splitting, which even with hickory is a good possibility if the stave dries too quickly.

[Jericho117]

I dryed them inside for a couple days and they didn't crack so I layed it in the sun. I find bows that don't crack or split the first time usually won't ever during the drying process. And I said usually. It's the dry heat that I hate when I season my bows, thats why I avoid indoor drying. I found another sapling, im not sure what species, but im going to make another bow from it. But this time im going to apply pine pitch mixed with wood ashes to the tips and see how that holds up during the drying process.

[Jericho117]

Iv'e never really questioned what makes wood crack. I always thought it had something to do with the outside drying faster than the inside. In a primitive survival situation I would assume you would just let your stave season in your shelter. Anyone really know how and why wood cracks during drying? Iv'e got most of the reasons, but Im not 100 percent sure.

[crashdive123]

Your assumption on the outside drying faster than the inside is correct.

[canid]

checking and splitting are caused by different pressures inside a piece of wood, from uneven growth, and by different densities between layers. in both cases, the water evaporates out at different rates, causing one area to shrink faster than another. the area between becomes a running crack if the wood dries too fast.

for bowyering, slow seasoning the wood, sealing the end of boles or splitting into staves before curing will offset this tendency.

[Jericho117]

And does anyone know if the Hemlock tree bark when boiled creates an oil or other form of wood preservative substance.